Inspirational Home Decor Ideas Using Reclaimed Barn Wood

Recently I came across some very fun photos that used reclaimed wood as the focal point in their home.  Take a look at this herringbone designed reclaimed wood wall.  :-)

Beth at Make Me Pretty Again got a huge pile of 100 year old reclaimed Douglas fir and then began using liquid nails and a pneumatic nailer to create this herringbone pattern on the ceiling with her husband. AMAZING!  You can see how she did it step by step on her blog.

What I like most about using reclaimed wood in home decor is the amount of character the wood provides.  No one piece is alike and each piece of wood tells a story.  

OR, how about using reclaimed barn wood AS your stairs :-)  This picture is one of my favorites.  I love the stark white against the old brown textured wood.

I absolutely love the sliding barn door trend.  If you haven't seen my sliding barn door post be sure and stop on over to see a gallery of inspirational sliding doors.  Using old barn wood seems very fitting for this application!

What do you guys think of this nursery wall?!  Kim Lewis the designer used lead free milk paint on the reclaimed barn wood boards to add a bit more color.  I like how she tied in the blue on the walls with the blue on the boards. 

This was a fabulous post on DIY wood projects, this one was my favorite.  Feel free to check it out!

Thanks for some of the sweet comments that have been left on the blog lately.....I always enjoy providing you guys with inspiration and creative ideas.  :-)

Have a GREAT WEEK friends!

Photo credit on a lot of these pictures came from Barnwood Naturals

5 SIMPLE and Inexpensive Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Home Decor

Hi Friends!

For those that have been reading my blog for a while know that I HIGHLY value being able to pull off a fantastic look for not a lot of money.  

So, in this post I want to show you some very simple ideas that you can apply to achieve a designers touch without breaking the bank. :-)

Tip #1

Spray paint can be your best friend and bring items that you thought were dead to life again!  I have turned many ugly lamps into something updated and beautiful.  Don't be afraid to spray paint  the frames of outdated mirrors or other picture frames for an updated look. My "go to" spray paint color is Krylon's Oil Rubbed Bronze. (you can't go wrong!)  For those that enjoy color, take a piece of furniture that has seen better days and spray paint it a fun, bright paint finish.

Gretchen from The Crafting Chicks took this old brown hutch and spray painted it Cherry Red :-)  If tackling a large item like a hutch worries you, start off small with a quaint side table.

The Crafting Chicks

These lamps were just a few bucks at my local thrift store - never look at the color, only the shape of a lamp.  Spray paint is to a frugal designer, as chocolate is to a woman.  :-)  It makes us happy and you can expect great things to come from either spray paint or eating chocolate ;-) 

Creative Juices Decor

Tip #2. 

Mirrors are a fantastic home decor investment. If you have a mirror, try hanging it opposite a window. Mirrors can open up a space and make a room feel MUCH larger than it is....especially when you place it across from a source of natural light.  It will create such a difference and can brighten up dreary areas instantly.  

This mirror added a lot of brightness in an area that was previously a dark corner.  

This mirror made the entire wall appear as if it was open.......plus it added a lot of visual interest. 

BHG

You can see how this mirror placed at the end of the sitting area literally doubled the visual space of the room.  

Tip #3.

This is one of my FAVORITE tips as it creates such a visual difference.  If you want to make any room feel larger (higher ceilings) all you need to do is reposition your curtain rods to hang a few inches (or even flush) with the ceiling.  By doing that, it creates a tall, beautiful vertical line that draws your eye up and creates the illusion of a taller ceiling.  

These curtains were placed right below the crown molding but much higher than the top of the window.  As you can see, the result is a grander feel that brings your attention upward, creating the illusion that the ceilings are taller than they actually are.  

Here is an example of a cozy living room following that same tip.

I wanted to show you an "every day home" example......as you can see, Chris from Just a Girl placed her rods almost flush to the ceiling in her dining room.  

Just a Girl

And this is her daughter's room.  The room itself is lovely, but notice the curtain placement once again. I always prefer bringing the curtain fabric all the way down to the ground.  Even having some extra fabric puddled on the floor is a nice designer's touch.

Tip #4. 

When you are arranging accessories - remember that odd numbered groupings look more appealing than even.  Create lots of layering, especially with the heights. Try to group multiple items together, rarely would I leave a single decor item by itself.  I wrote a post on How to Decorate the Top of Your Cabinets if you are wanting more tips on this subject. 

Creative Juices Decor

Look at how each item is arranged and placed at variable heights.  It makes it so your eye can start from one end and wrap around to the other end completing a full circle......Can you see how both examples do this?  That is an excellent way to know that you set up a great accessory vignette.  

RadioButlers

Tip #5

Greenery (faux or real, small or large) adds so much to ANY space - it softens the edges or corners…….keep your eye out at thrift stores or on Craigslist for that fantastic find.  You can also use the 40% off Michael's coupon to buy some greenery!  

Creative Juices Decor

And for those who can't imagine putting up faux greenery......here is a beautiful example of live greenery! 

Dering Hall

There you have it my friends!  

Have fun trying out a few of these tips!  I promise they will add an updated designer look to your home instantly.  Let me know your thoughts and if you ever have any questions be sure and ask me :-) 

Do It Yourself Creative Headboards Ideas Using Shutters, Doors, Windows or Fireplace Mantels

 A headboard is such a vital part in a bedroom.  It gives the room a focal point and creates much needed substance. A lot of times, a bed will just look as if it's "floating" in the room without a headboard.  Believe me, if you do not have a headboard, adding one will change the entire look of your room!   I am always impressed to see how people can find ordinary objects and turn them into a custom designed headboard! 

Take a look at how this couple used a set of old windows with a unique window pane pattern to spice up their bed.  This would be considered a shabby chic style. Personally, I would remove the glass as I wouldn't want any shattered glass accidents!

Jennifer from Decorating Made Easy found this old door at an antique shop for $20.00.  She just added wood moulding around it and became the perfect headboard!

Decorating Ideas Made Easy

This is such a UNIQUE wood piece - I couldn't find the original source but I'm guessing it was taken from an old reclaimed wood structure or maybe made for the bed with reclaimed wood.  Whatever they did -  I think it's wonderful and made such a rustic statement.  

I have seen wooden shutters used time and time again as headboards.  I think it's a fantastic idea to hang either a photo or an art piece in the center to break up all the lines.  These twin beds would look so plain without these large shutter headboards.  This bedroom vignette has a bit of a French Country look.

The next two headboards were crafted from fireplace mantels!  I know you would really need go on a treasure hunt to find the perfect piece but what an amazing find these are! 

I LOVE how they incorporated a soft tufted pad to the center of this mantel...how could you go wrong....a fireplace visual at the top of your cozy feather bed :-)

Another fun idea is just to take a LARGE piece of art and use it for a headboard.

One of my close friends designed this poster art piece for above her clients headboard.  It adds a lot of height and character to the bed.  She actually took a bunch of frames and glued them together.  Next she cut out and inserted a large poster piece into each frame!  It is such a GREAT way to not spend a lot of money but accomplish a wonderful look.

Creative Juices Decor

If you have ever wondered how to make your own simple headboard, Jon and Sherry from Young House Love gives you a great DIY headboard tutorial.  

Another "frugal" option is to check your local thrift store for a headboard.  If you make a point to just stop in once a week to see what's new, I can almost guarantee that you will find an amazing headboard there!  Keep in mind, that you can ALWAYS paint it a different color or fix it up just a bit how you want it.

This is one of my favorite thrift store finds.  It was actually a foot board so I just added some 2x4 legs to get it the correct height and VOILA - a gorgeous headboard for only SEVEN BUCKS!!!!

If you don't have a headboard, or just need a change - I hope this post has inspired some ideas!  Have a great weekend my friends!

A Gallery of Wall Plate Inspiration - Pick Your Style!

Hi Everyone :-)

One of the easiest ways to fill up a wall is by decorating with a collection......that collection might be picture frames, unique clocks, different sized mirrors - really anything!

But today, I was to show you how much fun you could have decorating with a plate collection!

I'm going to separate each set of pictures by style.  I am sure there will be one set of photos that stand out to you more than the others.  My hope by doing that is so you can figure out more of what YOUR own personal style is.

READY FOR SOME WALL PLATE INSPIRATION!!

If you have been following my blog and watched my own home being built, you know that I tend to lean towards the Tuscan/European style.  I'll start off this post with my own collection of plates :-)

Tuscan Style - Old Pottery

If  you want to read how to make your own free plate hanger - be sure and click the link to see a full tutorial.  All these plates were collected for PENNIES from my local thrift store.  

mages via frank features

Food Lovers Odyssey

Whimsical / Shabby Chic

Addicted 2 Decorating

Silver Lining Decor

Traditional

Home Bunch

Eclectic

Apartment Therapy

Interior Design

House of Turquoise 

BHG

Royal or European - Blue and white antique plates

David Michael Miller

Common Ground - Do

country living

Moroccan/Spanish

House Beautiful

I hope you have all been inspired by these plate collections.  It's always nice when you can figure out what your OWN personal style is.  Have fun collecting!